Inequalities
by Valentina-Lestrange
Summary: After losing her first sister, there can be no more hiding. Narcissa finally has to come to terms with the fact she is slowly losing her remaining sibling as well.


Inequalities

**July 28th 1974**

It was evening. The heat of the summers day had not entirely vanished instead choosing to linger in a humid blanket over the extensive lawns. She had always detested the heat, the way the temperature made her gorgeous clothes stick to her frame in unflattering ways and the way her silver hair drooped out of its intricate styles. Even the soft silk of her dress and the continuous breeze wafting idly through the curtains could not cool her.

She was sewing to pass the time. It was something she had been taught to do since she was a child - to stitch feeble little bits of material together to make something beautiful. It calmed her greatly, just to simply be creating, to not have to worry about being in charge of anything. Narcissa sighed and leant back into the depths of the armchair she had unceremoniously thrown herself on. Nobody was home, not even Lucius or Bella, so she was free to be as unladylike as she wished. These moments were something to treasure, the wonderful moments in life when you can do nothing and feel complete happiness swell in your chest.

There was a loud and resounding crash from down the hallways and she jumped. The hairs on her arms rose and she froze in a moment of complete fear. She knew she lived with people who could be considered dangerous or a threat. If someone was breaking in, who would it be? Who would want to hurt her friends? Anxiety pounded through her veins instead of blood. She thought neither rationally or logically and, grabbing her wand from where she had set it on the table, she set off cautiously through the door.

It did not take her long to find the room where the noise was sourced. Ever since her marriage to Lucius she had constantly been left to stay at home and, consequently, had learnt the rooms, passageways and secret compartments of the house within weeks. The room in question was an old drawing room that was barely ever used. She pressed her ear to the keyhole. Few sounds could be heard apart from the rustling of the curtains. Whoever it was, they were being incredibly quiet. Reluctantly, she rested her hand on the doorknob and twisted it as gently as possible. The door swung open with an incredible bang before Narcissa could do anything to stop it.

* * *

A figure, clad in dark green and black, froze guiltily. Her silhouette was painfully dark even against the softened light of the evening. But Narcissa had known that authorative posture since she could remember and the thick curls were unmistakable.

"Bella?" Narcissa asked, her mouth wide open and her wand hand drooping.

"Cissy," the other woman sighed, her posture relaxing considerably, as she identified her sister.

Narcissa reached wildly for the door handle. She found it and she pushed the door closed without taking her pale eyes off of her sister.

"What in Merlins' name do you think you are doing?" Narcissa asked, her voice creeping higher as she let the fear seep out of her, "You scared the living daylights out of me skulking around the house like a criminal,"

Bellatrix did not stop to point out that she was considered to be a criminal. She instead sank down on the chair with a wince.

* * *

"Bella?" came Narcissa's voice again only this time it was different. Softer. Kinder. Scared.

"I'm fine," Bellatrix replied stiffly, not removing her hand from her stomach.

Narcissa, though undeniably blonde, was not stupid and she walked over to her sister with caution. She leant down slowly and then pulled her arm off of where it was lying.

Bella's dress was soaked with so much blood it made Narcissa's head spin. It was a few seconds later that she realised it was Bella's own blood and she landed with a thump next to her sister looking distinctly nauseous, "Who did this?" she asked softly,

"Those who obey the Dark Lords wishes,"

"He ordered this to happen? His own followers" Cissy looked scandalised by the thought. Bella didn't even flinch.

"I was weak. I was punished. I cried. I was punished again. It is no surprise Cissy and I deserved it. I cried,"

"Oh Bella, darling, it is ok to cry!" Narcissa said, pulling her reluctant sister in her arms.

"No it's not," the elder of the two growled, "It's weakness. Weakness is bad, Cissy,"

"Is that what they tell you Bella?" Narcissa asked, "Because they're wrong. Weaknesses are what make us human Bella, surely you must know that?"

"When I need to listen to lessons on that bullshit I will go and find Andromeda," Bellatrix hissed dangerously. She shoved her sister away, a little more roughly than intended but she did not let that show, and began to pace across the floor. Agitation crackled out of every movement.

* * *

"I joined them to become a part of something Cissy. I joined them to feel worthwhile, to make father proud, to make sure that every stinking piece of mudblood filth is scoured off of this Earth! But more than anything I wanted to be seen as equal-" she broke off as her voice cracked and wavered, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, and above all she looked furious with herself yet unable to stop the words, "I am not weak Cissy. We are not weak. Too long have we been shunned to one side, useful only for producing children and looking after houses and stuck with stupid tasks that is servant work. All I wanted to be was to be one of them, to prove to them that I was worthy of this responsibility. But they've made me into this," she shrieked, gesturing down at herself.

Then something in her mind snapped and she changed almost immediately. She rushed over to where her sister sat and cupped Narcissa's angelic face in her own long-fingered pale hands, "But you understand don't you? You know why I have to do this of course you do. You're my sister-" Bellatrix broke off and glared at her sister with her piercing grey eyes, "Unless you're like her?" she hissed.

Nothing hurt more in the world than seeing her sister like this. Tears fell down her face and, with a gasping sob, Narcissa stuttered, "You're mad! Oh, my precious Bella, what have they done to you? You're mad!"

The look in Bella's eyes softened and her lips parted in confusion, "Am I?" she asked softly and childishly. She began to shake terribly and Narcissa grabbed Bellatrix's arms and guided her to the sofa before she could even think of collapsing.

"I don't want to be mad, Cissy," Bella pleaded as she grasped the arms of her sister tightly, "Really I don't. I didn't mean to hurt anyone. I just wanted this so much..."

* * *

Narcissa was scared. She didn't know what to do any more. She had never seen her sister like this because Bella was always in control of everything. Nothing ever fazed Bella - she hadn't even thought anything could faze Bella. Yet here she was, raving like a madwoman one minute and sobbing in her arms the next. She wanted to make it better, she truly did, but Bella was mad. She couldn't cope with mad.

"Make it go away," Bella muttered, rocking herself back and forwards, "Make them pay,"

She then screamed. It was raw, animalistic and so painful that Narcissa wasn't sure how anyone could listen. She pushed Bella away and ran out of the room. She didn't stop until she was at the bottom of the garden, where only the birds and the sound of her sobbing could be heard. She'd lost her sisters. She'd lost both of them so cruelly. She was alone.

* * *

**Author's Notes: I don't think this is up to the quality I usually write and I'm probably going to rewrite the ending soon. I just wanted to publish this. Bella might be a little OOC, but I imagine her rapidly changing her personality when she first went completely around the twist. Cookies for reviewers. Ellie x**


End file.
